American Werewolf
by sleeping-weeping-willow
Summary: Gray had been running for years, it wasn't until the Samuels found her that she found solace. But upon becoming eighteen, Gray's past catches up to her: as do two girls, whom the werewolf accidentally imprints on. Gray falls for Claire Novak and Alex Jones, but will she be able to protect them from something evil? (Poly trio between werewolf!OC, vampire!Alex, huntress!Claire)
1. Black Water

It was an early morning, the sun was just rising. It was also a Wednesday, Gray was aware of that much. But, other than the day and time of day, Gray didn't really remember much else. She pulled her thin spring jacket over her tired, bruised frame, itching the scar on her shoulder briefly before she spotted the diner that lay right across the street. For a moment, Gray felt hopeful, and she limped across the empty road to the building, her stomach rumbling hungrily. She pushed open the door, her bright amber eyes darting around wildly. She hoped that Marie wasn't here. Gray found her way to a faded, worn down booth, slumping into it instantly. Her hands, which had numerous cuts lining the backs of them, rested against the cool oaken table. She bit her lip, glancing at a discarded newspaper that lay beside her. Her shaking fingers gingerly picked it up, frowning, as she read the headline:

 _ **MONSTER NO JOKE FOR THOSE WHO SAW IT!**_

 _ **MYSTERIOUS BEAST STALKING SIOUX FALLS.**_

Gray bit her lip again, her thoughts instantly wandering, as she decided to read the article that followed.

 _Reports of cattle attacks and a grisly string of murders has led some citizens to dub this 'monster' the Sioux Falls Werewolf. Along with the absurd nickname, false sightings of a furry, man-like beast have also been reported to local police officers and have circled around the media. Of course, us strong willed reporters and few folk who aren't in belief of this wolfman know the truth: these gruesome attacks are the work of a serial killer filled with mythical fantasies. Whoever this 'beast' is, their murderous jokes will not be taken lightly._

"Spooky, isn't it?"

Gray jumped, her wild eyes darting up to lock onto an elderly waitress. She calmed, taking a deep breath, and offering the woman a lopsided grin.

"Yeah, spooky. I mean, it's insane- someone causing all of this," She stated, running a hand through her tangled locks.

"Miss, are you okay?" The waitress frowned, "What happened to your eye?"

Gray frowned, glancing at her reflection in the window. Her right eye was blackened. She managed a shaky smile, glancing back up at the woman. "Bad breakup, I'll be okay. I, uh.. can I get a glass of water?"

"Of course, sweetie. I'll be back out with your drink in a few, then I'll take your order." The waitress offered her a smile and a pat on the shoulder. Gray cast her attention back onto the paper, ignoring the burning that the ragged scar on her shoulder was causing.

 _As of now, there is no evidence linking these attacks to human or animal suspects. Autopsies and studies will prove further evidence in capturing the culprit, but beware modern day Lycaon: we're watching you._

Gray set the paper down, glancing out the window, losing herself to her thoughts.

What if Marie followed her here?

She didn't like the idea, but she took in another deep breath to try and reassure herself before she was brought back to reality by the sound of a cup being set on the table. Her hand instantly closed around it, bringing the cool liquid to her lips. As of now, water was Gray's best friend.

"What would you like to order, hon?" The waitress asked, her eyes gentle.

"Um, hamburger. Medium rare," Gray replied, glancing up at her.

"Hon, it's nine in the morning, are you sure?"

"I, uh, yeah. I'm sure," She smiled. "That's all I want right now. I'm starving."

The waitress nodded, offering a soft frown, before she went to place Gray's order.

 _"There are still no leads on missing girl Nia Hargrove, who has been missing for nearly three months. Her family, who lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is praying for Nia's safe return. If spotted, please call the following number.."_

Gray listened to the TV announcer ramble on, but she refused to look up at the television. She didn't want to, afraid of what she'd see. Afraid of what she'd learn.

In due time, Gray was delivered her food. Gray tore into her burger eagerly, not caring if the sound that came out of her throat was human or not. She didn't know when she had eaten last, and she hardly cared now that there was food in front of her to soothe this ungodly hunger that ate at her being. Of course, Gray knew that her hunger would not stay soothed for long, and she'd have to either hunt or risk getting food from somewhere else.

"You were right, hon, you are starving." Her waitress, whom Gray had learned was called Hattie, said, sitting across from her. "Where have you been? Looks like a lot has happened to you,"

"I'm letting bygones be bygones." Gray stated tiredly. "I just want food."

Hattie nodded, offering Gray a kind smile.

"Why don't you come home with me? My shift gets over around three this afternoon, you can lay down in the kitchen." She said, her voice kind. "My husband Edgar and I haven't had someone to care for since our son died,"

Gray's eyes reflected the woman's gentle sadness. "I'm sorry for your loss," She said quietly.

"Oh, it was years ago." Hattie patted Gray's shoulder. "He was a kind young man, just as hungry as you." Hattie released a soft chuckle. "I'm sure we have some clothes you can borrow, he was about your size."

"Oh, well, I don't want to intrude.." Gray started, fidgeting. She didn't want to get close to someone and lose control.

"Don't be silly," Hattie said gently, "You won't be intruding at all."

* * *

"Are you sure you want me to stay?" Gray asked meekly.

"Of course we do," Hattie replied, giving Gray a soft smile. Hattie had coaxed Gray into her old pickup truck, where she now perched comfortably in the passenger seat. Gray reminded Hattie of a scared, timid animal; but the woman guessed that Gray had been through something traumatic. The girl had a reason to act accordingly. "Tell me about yourself, Gray."

Gray bit her lip, thinking. "I have a younger brother. My dad left when I was eight. Um.. I was the family disappointment before I ran away,"

Hattie frowned, her hand finding Gray's shoulder. It was comforting, and something Gray knew that she'd grow attached to. "I'm sorry about that." Hattie told her gently. "Where were you running to?"

"Anywhere. Nowhere." Gray responded quietly.

"Where were you running from?"

"The hell I was supposed to call my home."

* * *

Hattie's home was one of those old, traditional western-styled homes. It sat right at the edge of town, which gave Gray a bit of comfort. Countryside meant less people that would bother her, less people that would come hunting for her.

"Come in, come in," Hattie said, grinning softly, as she gently pulled Gray into the house. "Ed! We have a guest," The woman called. Gray could tell that Hattie was excited. Apparently the young stranger's presence meant something to her. It made Gray slightly uncomfortable, yet also... wanted. An odd combination of feelings that Gray had felt before. An older man, perhaps in his mid sixties, lumbered into the mudroom. He was tall and stocky, yet hunched with age. He smiled at his wife and the stranger that she had brought home, and offered Gray his hand. She shook it, allowing the man's strong grip to crush her hand.

"Who's this?" The man's gruff voice asked.

"Edgar, this is Gray. Gray...?" Hattie glanced at the girl, her eyes asking for her last name.

"Hastings. Gray Hastings." Gray offered a friendly, yet timid smile.

"Yes." Hattie chuckled softly, "This is Gray Hastings. Found the poor thing in the diner, all alone. She's been ruffed up some, Ed."

"Ruffed up?" The man asked, his stormy eyes locking onto the young girl. "By who?"

Gray offered a meek shrug, looking at the floor. "Former lover. I don't want to talk about it,"

"Well, if he ever comes 'round here, he'll have another thing coming." Ed promised. "Welcome to the Samuels residence."

Hattie eagerly led Gray into the living room, sitting her down on an old, plaid chair. "Look at her, Ed, she looks just like Danny."

"Well, I suppose she would if she were a boy, Hattie." Ed chided gently, smiling, as he sat on the chair across from Gray. "How old are you, girl?"

"Well," Gray frowned, "My birthday was last month. I just turned fifteen."

"Fifteen and being beaten up by a partner?" Ed frowned. "I don't like the sound of that. Where's your family?"

Gray shrugged. "Dad left, mom kicked me out. I guess I didn't have one."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Gray." Ed said gently. "But you're welcome to crash here for the night. You can stay in Danny's old room,"


	2. Haunted

That one night had turned into three years.

Gray didn't remember if it had been after the first week or the first month that the Samuels had fallen in love with the idea of taking in the stray girl as a daughter, but it had happened anyways. It had been strange at first to of been taken into a family that had love to offer her, it was strange for Gray to be loved at all. But, in Hattie and Ed's eyes, Gray was a surrogate child for the one that they had lost. After all, they loved their little stray just as they had loved Danny. It had been rather difficult to adopt the girl, as she had no birth certificate or social security, so the Samuels had gone and fabricated one for the girl. She was, now, Gray Samuels; and Gray had no problem with that. It was spring, now, and she was walking along the premises of the old country home. Her dog, Bear- the Saint Bernard the Samuels had given her on her sixteenth birthday- lumbered beside her, his tongue flopping out. He was a huge dog, but Gray didn't mind. Wolf was seemingly the only friend she had, as the town residents stayed clear of her and the other kids thought she was a homeschooled freak. But still, it didn't bother Gray. She was safe, loved, and had a family.

She'd be turning eighteen on midnight, and Hattie and Ed had planned on taking her out for breakfast in the morning. She grinned, ruffling the dog's ears, as she decided to head back to the house. Bear trotted behind her, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. "Good boy," She grinned, glancing down at her faithful companion. For a second, the old scar on her collarbone throbbed painfully, dully, but she ignored it and walked on, glancing at the outline of the house in the distance. When she reached the old home, she slipped inside the backdoor which led to the kitchen.

"Hattie? Ed?" She called out, glancing around the room. Her red flannel kept her arms and torso uncomfortably warm, so she removed it, tucking it under her arm.

"Gray? Is that you?" Hattie called out, entering the kitchen. Her eyes instantly lit up upon seeing the girl she had adopted. "Look at you, getting so big." Hattie grinned. "You used to be shorter than me, now look at you."

Gray chuckled softly. "I'm not that tall."

"You're 5'8", that's pretty tall." Hattie chuckled, gently ruffling the girl's hair. "Hell, give it some time and I bet you'll be taller than Ed."

Gray grinned, glancing down. Sure, she was getting taller and stronger, but she'd expected that much. They all had.

"Full moon tonight," Hattie said wearily, moving to wash the dishes. "Are you ready?"

Gray nodded, grabbing a towel to help Hattie. "I'm ready. I'll be ready." She said, mostly to reassure herself, as she ran a hand through her hair. The dark locks, as always, were tangled and frizzy. But she paid no mind to that. She glanced at Bear, who was lying beside the door, his tongue still hanging out of his mouth. Gray wished she could be as ignorant and carefree as Bear. She bit her lip and dried off some old glass plate that Hattie handed her, leaning against the counter.

"Something on your mind, sweetie?" Hattie asked, handing her another glass.

"Is it okay if I take the truck for a bit? Drive around town, go get a bite to eat before I'm locked up for the night?" She asked, glancing up at Hattie.

"Of course, Gray." Hattie said, washing another dish, "But you know the rules. Be home by nine,"

* * *

The wind rushed through Gray's hair as she drove. She rested her left arm against the lowered window of the door, her right hand firmly gripping the leather steering wheel. Bear sat beside her in the passenger seat, his head stuck out the window, tongue still hanging out. Gray chuckled softly, pulling into a drive-thru for some burger joint.

"Yeah, uh, I'll have two plain hamburgers, a large fry, and a chocolate milkshake." She said, glancing at the ordering box through her aviator sunglasses. Despite it being around seventy degrees outside, Gray was still wearing a leather jacket and a torn pair of jeans. An old, faded rock band T-shirt lay beneath the jacket. It was, of course, dusted with white and brown dog hairs; but that was beside the point. She pulled ahead to the window, handing the cashier a wadded $20 bill. She shoved the leftover change into her pocket, grabbing the bag of food as well. "Bear, no. Wait." She told the dog, wagging a finger at him as she set the bag on the spot beside the two seats. Bear obeyed, resting his chin on the window ledge with a sigh.

Gray grinned and decided to drive to a park, one where she could sit and eat and let the dog play. She found one, though it was right across from some school. She clipped Bear's leash to his old, woven collar; grabbing onto the bag of food. Bear eagerly sniffed at the ground, prancing around, examining every hydrant and lightpost. His enthusiasm made Gray chuckle. She sat on a grassy slope, watching the people walk around below. Bear sat beside her, panting, but was instantly distracted when Gray tossed him the second burger. He wolfed it down, then went back to panting, though he laid down and rested his head on his paws. Gray took her time with her food, slurping down her milkshake as she simply watched and lost herself to her thoughts. It wasn't until she heard Bear growl that she snapped back to reality. Bear took off, pulling Gray- who had looped the leash around her free wrist- with him.

"Bear! Bear, calm down!" Gray said, trying her best to keep up.

What happened next could've been a perfect Disney moment.

The dog caused Gray to run straight into some blonde, who was cute in a scruffy biker-girl way. Bear's leash tangled around their legs, crushing them together. The blonde was furious. Gray was flustered.

"What the-?" The girl demanded, frowning, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Oh, uh.. sorry, sorry," Gray started, trying to untangle herself. It failed, only causing her to continuously bump into the girl. "I, uh, Bear's normally not like this.."

"Sure, I bet," The girl's blue eyes burned into Gray, seemingly into her soul.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" Gray said again, frowning. "I'm Gray. Gray Samuels. I, uh, haven't seen you around here before."

The girl watched Gray carefully, scrutinizing every detail. "I'm Claire. I'm new here, crashing with Jody Mills."

Gray grinned softly, "The sheriff? I know her. Doesn't she have an adopted daughter? Alex or something like that?"

"Yep, that's the one." Claire said, glancing at her. "How do you know her?"

"Friend of my dad's. Or, well, my adoptive father. Edgar Samuels, lives right outside town."

"Jody might've mentioned him." Claire shrugged. "But I don't remember. Didn't know they had a daughter."

"Adopted daughter." Gray said, patting Bear's head. "They adopted me about three years back."

"Ah. Well, nice chat." Claire said. "See you around." She turned to go, but something deep inside of her was drawn to the blonde.

"Oh, uh, hey," Gray called after her, pulling Bear along as she followed Claire. "Since you're new here, maybe I can show you around sometime?"

Claire quirked an eyebrow, glancing at her. "Are you serious?"

"Well, uh, yeah." Gray shrugged. "Why?"

"I'm not the type of person that people are dying to be around." Claire said dryly, almost suspiciously.

"I'm just trying to be nice." Gray shrugged. "You don't seem too bad, you seem pretty cool."

Claire shrugged. "If you say so."

"Can I, uh.. have your number?" Gray finally asked.

Claire sighed. "You're not going to let up, are you?" Gray shrugged, smiling. Claire only rolled her eyes, "Give me your phone." Gray grinned and did as told, handing the device to the blonde. Claire typed something in, then handed it back. "That's my number. Text me if you're not joking about being friendly. Now, get out of my way so I can go home."

* * *

"Hattie? Ed?" Gray called out, glancing around. The sun had set, and the moon was beginning to rise up into the sky. Gray bit her lip anxiously, leading Bear upstairs and shutting him in her room. His anxious whines could be heard as Gray tried to find the couple. She saw and heard nothing, but began to smell the metallic tang of blood. Biting down on her lip, Gray inched towards Hattie and Ed's room, and shrieked at what she found. Her adoptive parents had been mutilated, torn apart. Gray fell to her knees, feeling emotions build inside of her- hate, guilt, fury.

"Gray?" It was Ed, his voice soft and raspy.

"Ed!" Tears slipped down her cheeks as Gray pulled him into her arms. "Wha-what happened?"

"She killed.. killed Hattie," Ed whispered. "She said.. she said you were next."

"What are you..?"

"She... told me to tell you happy birthday.."

"What? Who, Ed?!" Gray demanded, tears dripping onto the man's face. But it was too late, and the man had passed.

Gray let out a bloodcurdling scream, sobbing into Ed's chest. She was shaking uncontrollably, her bones and being aching.

Those last few moments were all that she remembered of that night.


	3. Home

_7:41 a.m. : Claire_

 _7:46 a.m. : It's Gray, the girl you ran into yesterday_

 ** _From: Claire Novak_** _, 7:50 a.m. : Why are u up so early? It's like 8_

 _7:51 a.m. : I think there's something wrong here_

 _7:51 a.m. : My parents are dead_

 ** _From: Claire Novak_** _, 7:53 a.m. : What are u talking about? Why haven't u called the police_

 _7:55 a.m. : I did, they're coming._

 _7:55 a.m. : I can't be here_

 _7:55 a.m. : They're all mutilated, it smells gross_

 ** _From: Claire Novak_** _, 7:58 a.m. : You remember the park from yesterday?_

 ** _From: Claire Novak_** _, 7:58 a.m. : Meet me there_

* * *

Claire's mind spun at the notion of Gray's adoptive parents just up and dying. It hit too close to home. Claire knew, however, that Gray could not leave the scene of the crime, so she contacted Jody.

 _8:00 a.m. : Jody, hey, the girl that the Samuels adopted just contacted me_

 _8:00 a.m. : She seems really stressed._

 ** _From: Jody_** _, 8:01 a.m. : Claire, you know Gray? I'm not sure if she should leave. It's a murder scene_

 _8:02 a.m. : Jody, please, she's really stressed. Just let her come with me for a bit and if you find anything she can just go back_

 _8:02 a.m. : Plus, what if it's something unnatural?_

 ** _From:_** _Jody, 8:03 a.m. : Good point. But you better not hold her back if I find something._

* * *

Gray's mind was wild with thoughts of revenge, confusion, and misunderstanding. Hattie and Ed were the nicest people that she knew, who would've wanted them dead? Bear was sitting next to her in the passenger seat, whining nervously. Gray glanced at him, biting her lip. "I know, boy, I'm scared, too." She whispered. She bit her lip, having parked against the curb, and slunk back into her thoughts.

 _"Nia, can you tell me why you're so angry?" The man in white asks, his skeptical, judgemental eyes locked onto hers._

 _"I shouldn't be here." She responds, lifting her dull eyes to his. "I'm not crazy. She is coming for me. She won't stop until she has me."_

 _"Who is coming for you, Nia?"_

 _"Marie."_

 _The name tastes like poison in her mouth. The five letters had once brought up such loving, caring feelings... but now it only brought up hatred._

 _"Your ex-girlfriend? The woman you attacked just last month?"_

 _"I had to! She cursed me, why doesn't anyone believe me?" Nia demanded._

 _"Nia, you are suffering from a form of paranoia known as lycanthropy." The man explained. "There is no curse, there is no monster living inside of you. And to prove this to you, we'll be placing you under observation tonight."_

 _"You can't do that!" She was panicked, afraid. "I'll kill you all!"_

"Hey!"

Gray jumped, her amber eyes snapping to the driver's side window. The blonde, Claire, was rapping her knuckles against the glass. "I've been trying to get your attention for, like, two minutes. What's up with you?"

"Well, for one, my parents just died." She said, stepping out of the car. Bear jumped out after her, intent on investigating Claire.

"I see you brought the cavalry," Her words were almost teasing.

"Who, Bear?" Gray asked, then shrugged. "I wasn't gonna leave him there. My parents.. it looked like some animal tore them up. I didn't want them to suspect Bear."

"So, what happened?" Claire asked, her icy eyes locking onto Gray's. "With your parents?"

Gray quirked an eyebrow, taking Bear around to put him in the back of the truck. "Get in, then we'll talk." Claire seemed to smile, and she went around to the passenger side door. "Bear, sit. Stay. Don't jump out." She said, ruffling the dog's ears. Gray made her way back to the driver's seat, climbing in and starting the engine.

"So, what happened?" Claire asked, glancing at Gray.

"Well, after I ran into you," Gray started, "I came home. Found my family lying on their bedroom floor. There was blood everywhere, Hattie was already dead. Ed was still alive.."

"Is he okay?" Claire asked, tilting her head slightly.

"No." Gray's voice was almost cold. "He died in my arms. Someone.. something.. killed them. He said.. he said that whoever did it wanted to wish me happy birthday."

"So the killer knows you?"

"I guess so." Gray murmured, though she was starting to suspect who the killer was, it couldn't be proven until she was aware of the person's whereabouts.

"I, uh.." Gray glanced over at Claire when she heard the girl speak. "I'm sorry. About Hattie and Ed. I know what it's like.. I lost my parents, too."

"You did?" Gray asked, glancing at her.

"My mom died not too long ago and my dad.." Claire's sentence trailed off.

"If you don't wanna talk about it," Gray said softly, "I won't make you."

Claire nodded, glancing out her window. "So.. The Samuels, how'd they find you?"

Gray bit her lip. "I, uh.. I was in a bad place at the time. Young. Hungry. Alone. Scared." She shrugged. "Hattie found me, I'd wandered into the diner outside of town. She took me in."

"What about your real family? Like.. life post-Samuels?"

Gray glanced at Claire. "My dad left when I was a kid. My mom kicked me out."

"Oh," Claire said softly, "I'm.. I'm sorry."

"Yeah," Gray agreed, "I am, too."

* * *

"Okay, okay. Pull up here," Claire instructed, pointing to a one story house. Gray did as told, pulling alongside the curb. Shutting off the engine, she shoved the keys in her pocket and slid out, walking around to the back to grab Bear. "Oh, uh.. I don't know if Jody wants a dog in her house," Claire added, glancing at Gray as she climbed out of the passenger seat.

"Bear sticks with me." Gray said. "I won't leave him out here."

Claire only shrugged, walking up the drive and towards the front door. "Fine, then. Have it your way."

Gray followed close behind, Bear at her heels, as Claire stepped aside for her companion and the dog to slip inside. The interior was clean, and Gray watched Claire kick her shoes off. Gray did the same, stepping onto the fuzzy carpet. The Samuel's house had not had carpeting, nor had it had such a comforting smell to it. The Mills' house smelled oddly like peppermint, which stung Gray's nose but also comforted her. Bear took to darting back and forth, investigating every nook and cranny that the house had.

"Are you hungry?" Claire asked.

Gray had noticed that the girl had already made her way into the kitchen, rooting around in the cupboards. Gray also noticed that she was starving, which wasn't odd. She was always hungry. "Yeah," Gray said, "I haven't eaten all day."

"Well, you know," Claire stated, "It's only, like, nine in the morning."

Gray shrugged, looking around. "Nice place."

"It's Jody and Alex's." Claire stated. "I'm leaving as soon as I can figure out how to.."

"How to what?"

"Hunt. How to hunt,"

"Hunt? Hunt what?" Gray asked, intrigued.

"Stuff." Claire shrugged.

"Wow, that really clarified." Gray said, rolling her eyes slightly. "So glad you're learning to hunt 'stuff'."

Claire exhaled, sounding annoyed. "You'd think I'm crazy if I told you." She stated, "And seeing as you're the first person that wants to be around me on their own free will, I'd rather not."

"I think you'd be surprised." Gray shrugged. "I mean, you sound kinda crazy," She teased lightly, "But not too crazy."

"Ha, ha." Claire's laugh was fake, dry. She rolled her eyes. "Thanks."

"Any time," Gray said, leaning against the counter, continuing to glance around.

"What's your deal?" Claire suddenly asked.

"My deal?" Gray frowned. "I don't have a deal."

"You're looking around the house like you've never been in one before." Claire stated.

"I've never been in a home other than the Samuels'." Gray admitted. "I honestly haven't done much with my time here in Sioux Falls."

"How long've you been here?" Claire asked, glancing at Gray.

"Three years. Going on four." Gray told her, watching the blonde's every movement. "And you?"

"A year almost." Claire shrugged. "Which, by the way, isn't important. I'll be getting out of here soon, anyways."

Gray quirked an eyebrow, watching as Claire loaded her thin- yet, Gray guessed they were capable as well- arms with bags of chips and other junk foods. "Need any help there?"

"Nope. I got it." Claire said, pushing past Gray. "Follow me, Stranger."

"'Stranger', huh?" Gray asked, following. Bear darted after them. "Not even your friend?"

Claire seemed to laugh. "I'd rather not get attached to you. Everyone leaves in the end."

"Maybe you're just overestimating me? I'm rather loyal."

"I guess we'll just see, then, huh?" Claire asked. She had led Gray and Bear into her room, where she plopped onto the bed. Gray watched her before she, too, sat down; watching the blonde devour the chips. Claire opened her laptop, reading something. "Make yourself comfortable. Eat." Claire shrugged, "I'm not gonna take care of you." Gray hesitated a bit, but she lay back- resting her head against the small of Claire's back, using her as a pillow. Gray could feel Claire shift beneath her, but she wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing; however, Claire didn't protest.

"What happened to your parents?" Gray asked after a while.

"My dad died when I was younger. My mom left, and I, uh.. lived a rough life. She died this past year." Claire said, avoiding details.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Gray said quietly.

"Don't be. I got a pretty nice setup now," Claire said, glancing back at Gray. "I mean, I might be leaving soon, but still."

"Where do you plan to go?"

"Everywhere. Anywhere." Claire said, popping another chip into her mouth. "I'm going to do the world a service."

"What service?"

"I'm going to kill all the monsters." Claire admitted after a brief pause. Gray rolled over, suddenly curious on what Claire was looking at. By doing so, she was practically laying on top of Claire. The blonde seemed to blush, shifting a bit uncomfortably beneath Gray. "What are you doing?"

"Just curious. What are you looking at?"

It was at that moment that Claire's phone went off. Claire, almost instantly, shut the computer and sat upright; checking her messages.

 _ **From: Jody**_ _, 9:56 a.m. : You need to send Gray back here. Found something. You might want to come, too._

"So, uh, that was Jody." Claire said hurriedly, standing. "We need to go back to your house."

"Now?" Gray asked, sitting up slowly.

"Now."


	4. Breath

"What's up?" Claire asked, towing Gray and the dog behind her. Gray looked nervous, she kept fidgeting. The dog stayed close to his master, which Claire found herself admiring. After all, Gray was sort of cute- if you were into that punk-rock country kid thing. Her dark hair seemed to always be a bit frayed, but her dark eyes were calm and warm. It was roguishly adorable, the hair and the rock shirts and loving eyes. Claire could feel the heat rising to her cheeks and pushed away the thought. She did not find the country girl cute.

"The barn," Jody gestured toward it with her chin, "it's all clawed up, the claw marks match the ones in the house too. Any accidents, Miss Samuels?"

"Accidents?" The topic of the barn seemed to make Gray nervous. "No, no, no accidents.. but.."

"But?" Jody quirked an eyebrow.

"Nothing," Gray said, looking a bit pale and queasy as the covered bodies of her adoptive parents were wheeled past her toward a vehicle. Bear whined and licked at Gray's hand, his soppy warm eyes locked onto the girl.

"Look, I know you're not being honest." Jody said. "So let's put it this way: you tell me the truth, or I arrest you."

"Jody, don't-" Claire began, frowning.

"Claire, she's the only suspect we have. If she can't tell us what's happened in the barn... or the house... well.."

"I.. you'd think I'm crazy," Gray's voice was hushed.

"Try me." Jody said, her face blank and arms folded.

"It.. it's complicated..."

"Start singing, Gray," Jody said impatiently.

"I'm cursed," Gray blurted out.

"Cursed?" Claire and Jody said at the same time.

Gray squeezed her eyes shut, and whispered: "See for yourself.." Gray grabbed the collar of her shirt, pulling it down slightly to expose her collarbone. A deep, jagged scar stood out against her flesh. Claire, driven by impulse, raised her and and ran her fingers along the scar. Beneath Claire's touch, Gray tensed briefly before she relaxed. Jody watched, frowning yet intrigued, as she watched the undeniable attraction between the two- the invisible pull felt between the two females was obvious, at least to Jody's motherly eye.

"I think you'd better come with us and explain." Jody said, gently taking Claire's elbow to pull her away from the cursed girl. "We have some.. ah.. experts in your... field,"

* * *

Gray sat on the couch, the dog still by her side. Jody had been reluctant to allow the dog in the house, but Gray refused to go anywhere without her animal companion. Gray's gentle touch massaged the dog's skull therapeutically, and it was obvious that petting the dog calmed Gray and soothed Bear. Claire wondered if the dog was a sort of therapy animal for the country girl, which she found sweet. Gray's soft eyes were already locked on Claire in a curious- perhaps lovelorn- gaze. Claire stared right back, waiting for Jody to return with the tablet to face time their 'experts'. It was around noon, so Alex would not be home until later, and it was just Claire, Jody, and the country girl.

"Why are you staring at me?" Claire asked airily.

"Am I?" Gray frowned. "Sorry, I.. I was distracted."

"By what?" Claire asked.

"You."

Claire opened her mouth to speak, her brows furrowing, but shut her mouth as Jody entered the room. Gray's attention shifted toward Jody in the same reaction time as the dog's, which Claire found odd. "What are you?" Claire asked Gray, who glanced at the ground in shame. "You're not human, are you?"

"No," Gray murmured, "I'm not.. not anymore."

"Were you a human once?"

"Of course I was," Gray frowned. "I just... got involved with the wrong person,"

"Which was..?"

"My girlfriend." Gray paused, then corrected herself. "Ex-girlfriend."

"You're gay?" Claire asked.

"I.. yeah.."

"Was she cuter than me?" Claire asked.

"What?" Gray tilted her head, curious. "Anyway.. I.. I'm a werewolf."

"A werewolf?" Claire seemed to have a sudden aversion to the topic.

"A different breed," Gray whispered. "I'm... not like the old werewolves. I'm a new breed, a breed emerging from the ancient ones."

"A new.. breed?"

"The American Werewolf," Gray murmured. "The full-moon type werewolf, still, of course but.. I can call upon my.. abilities whenever I see fit. Mortals, humans, find me attractive. I don't know why. We, ah, imprint too... on certain individuals. There's a pack mindset in my breed.. I know very little of my kind, and I've met very few of them.."

"Where are they?"

"Dead." Gray muttered. "I killed them. I'm.. a bit bigger and stronger than they are, unfortunately, and more of an alpha wolf.. I don't play nice with the others of my breed. So, I lose control and slay them. It doesn't help that most of my.. kind.. are males. Females are rare. Males are born from older alphas, females are... created."

"Why are you bigger than them? Are females bigger than males?"

Gray nodded, "Usually. I only met one other female, she was.. a friend of mine, surprisingly. But I killed her."

"Was she your ex?" Claire asked.

Gray shook her head. "No.. she was something else,"

"What was she?"

"I don't know." Gray admitted. "She said they were called Ancients or something like that.. I wasn't paying attention. I was too distracted by the pain and the blood,"

Claire watched Gray, her icy eyes seeming to admire the fidgeting girl. "What brought you here?"

"I ran away." Gray restated. "I became a monster, something undesirable. A killer. During one of the full moons I ended up here," Gray admitted, "and wandered into Souix Falls."

"I went wolf once," Claire told Gray after a while. "But.. I was cured."

"Cures won't work on me," Gray murmured, "I tried." Her now sad, tired eyes locked onto Claire's. "I just wanted to get away, to have a life... but.. she caught up to me."

"Who did?"

"Marie." Gray murmured. "My ex."


	5. Hunted

It was around nine o'clock, and Gray was still with Jody and Claire. Jody hadn't gotten a hold of their 'experts', which seemed to briefly worry her- but then she was busying herself with something else. Jody seemed rather worried that Alex, her adopted daughter, was not home yet as well. Claire, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the situation. Jody had asked Claire to busy Gray, whatever that meant, so they were back in Claire's room. Bear was resting on the floor, his head resting on his big paws as his tail thumped against the ground. Claire was laying on her stomach on the bed, back on her laptop, her icy eyes staring at the screen. Gray was leaning on Claire again, her head nestled in the small of Claire's back as she stared up at the ceiling. Her memories came flooding toward her, as they always did when she let herself off guard.

 _"C'mon, I don't wanna do this." Nia said, wringing her hands together nervously. "I already said I didn't wanna see you anymore. You're crazy, you're twisted."_

 _"Shut up." Marie snapped. "You're always such a whiny little bitch,"_

 _"Don't call me that," Nia snapped. "You're the bitch. You said you just want to talk, why are we here?"_

 _They were by the outskirts of the town, with Marie's crazy eyes staring at Nia in an odd, scary way. "Because we're talking," Marie spat. "How dumb are you?"_

 _"I'm not dumb," Nia snapped, "you're just a bitch. I'm going home, I don't want to talk to you."_

 _"You're not leaving me!" Marie yelled, grabbing Nia's arms. Her nails dug into Nia's flesh._

 _"Let go!"_

 _Marie's eyes were crazy, bearing into Nia's soul. "You will be mine, Nia, forever. You said you wouldn't leave,"_

 _"That was before I knew you were insane!" Nia growled, trying to break free, but it was useless. Marie was way stronger than Nia, almost inhumanly strong. Nia could feel the bones splintering beneath Marie's grip as the snarls of the creature in the thick throng of trees by the city made itself known. "Stop! Let me go!"_

 _"Now," Marie purred, "you're not gonna like this one bit... but I will,"_

"Gray, Gray!" Claire snapped her fingers by Gray's ear.

"Wha-?" Gray bolted upright a bit. "Claire, wha-?

"I was trying to get your attention." Claire stated. "Jody wants to know what you want for supper,"

"Oh, I.. I don't mind." Gray murmured.

"What's up with you?" Claire asked, sitting up. Since Claire was sitting up, it caused Gray to need to sit up as well, though the moment Claire folded her legs Gray found herself resting her head in the girl's lap. "What are you-?"

"It's comfortable." Gray said passively. She stared up at Claire, their eyes locking, and for that moment it seemed as though she and Claire were the only two in existence. Gray's wolfish instincts pulled her toward Claire, drove her to protect the girl... but still, Gray felt incomplete- like someone was missing. Claire's pale fingers began to run through Gray's frayed hair, gently wrangling the locks into braids. "What are you doing?"

"Braiding your hair," Claire said simply. "It's, uh, soft."

"Thank you," Gray murmured. She continued to stare into Claire's eyes, her gaze soft and curious. Claire returned the gaze, her fingers massaging Gray's skull. The action was almost enough to put the werewolf to sleep. Her eyes were half shut when she heard her phone go off, to which Gray sat up to grab the device. She nearly dropped the device when she saw the messages on the screen.

 _ **From: Unknown** , 9:15 p.m. : i know u r here_

 ** _From: Unknown_** _, 9:16 p.m. : ive found u_

 ** _From: Unknown_** _, 9:16 p.m. : u cant escape me, wolfy, i have some1 of urs_

"No," Gray murmured, dropping the phone. "No, no, no.." Bear began to whine, and Gray's actions began to worry Claire.

"Gray, what's wrong?" Claire asked, frowning. Gray bolted to her feet.

"Where's Jody?" Claire asked, "Or her daughter? Where are they?"

"Relax, Gray." Claire said, rolling her eyes. "Jody went to get food."

"Claire, c'mon, we gotta go check on them." Gray said. "Please, we just have to. You gotta trust me."

Claire sighed, but stood. "Alright, alright.. let's go."

* * *

Gray gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white. Bear whined softly, almost as nervous as his master. Claire was chewing on her lip, wringing her hands together. "Gray, you're scaring me. What's up?"

"I.. I got a text,"

"Oh, wow." Claire rolled her eyes. "You got a text."

"I got a text saying someone had someone of mine.. I don't know what it means, but you gotta trust me." Gray said softly.

"Fine, fine.. but why did you have to bring the dog?" Claire asked, sighing.

"You'll see. Just trust me." Gray said. "Where did Jody go?"

Claire gave Gray the directions, and that was where Gray took them. She parked her truck in the parking lot of the fast food restaurant, taking a deep breath before she got out. Claire mimicked Gray's actions, watching as Gray grabbed Bear's leash. She hooked it to the dog's collar before she moved the seat to let the dog out, who jumped onto the ground and began sniffing. "Hey, there's Jody's car," Claire said, gesturing toward the vehicle with her chin. Gray frowned and jogged over to the vehicle, looking inside.

"Looks like there was a struggle," Gray murmured, "the food is still in there, but Jody isn't." Gray turned and found Claire holding something in her hands.

"This is a piece of Jody's coat," Claire said simply.

Gray frowned and approached Claire, taking the scrap of fabric and offering it to Bear. The dog sniffed it willingly, whining. "Good boy," Gray murmured, "go find them." Bear gave a soft bark before he began snuffling at the ground. He paused for a moment, gave a trailing howl, and began to run. Gray grabbed Claire's arm, pulling her behind herself and the St. Bernard.

"How do you know this dog knows what he's doing?!" Claire exclaimed, trying to keep up.

"I trained him!" Gray answered. "He's a tracking dog!"

"What does he track?!"

Gray paused, then answered: "The things in the shadows." Claire didn't answer after that, and Gray didn't say anything either. They came upon the woods, which seemed to frighten Bear. He stopped at the edge of the treeline, whining and pacing. "Good boy." She patted Bear's head, watching the forest. "Jody's gotta be in there,"

"We gotta go in." Claire said.

"Are you crazy?" Gray asked. "Bear won't go in, that means there's something in there. Something.. inhuman."

"You're inhuman, Gray. What's there to be afraid of?" Claire rolled her eyes and entered the forest.

Gray glanced down at Bear, who looked woefully up at her. "Yeah, I know, she's a crazy one." Gray sighed, pulling Bear into the forest with her.

* * *

It didn't take long for Gray and Bear to catch up with Claire. "You really shouldn't run off like that," Gray panted, grabbing Claire's shoulder.

"Shh," Claire hushed Gray, swatting at her. Gray frowned, opening her mouth to say something, but was hushed when Claire pointed to a decrepit cabin. It appeared to be falling apart, the ceiling caving in and the wooden walls and porch beginning to be eaten away by worms. Bear began to growl when he saw the cabin, his hackles raising. Gray didn't think she'd ever actually seen Bear like that.

"Bear, no," Gray hushed him, causing the dog to settle slightly and lick his lips. "Jody's in the cabin, isn't she?"

"I don't know." Claire admitted. "But.. I saw something go in there,"

"What was it?"

"If I knew what it was," Claire said, "I would've told you."

"No need to get all sassy," Gray frowned as Claire grabbed her arm, leading her toward the cabin. "Hey! Don't we need a plan or something?"

"We don't need a plan," Claire snorted, "we have a hunter, a giant dog, and a werewolf." Claire grabbed the rusty doorknob, twisting it. The noise the doorknob gave as it turned was high-pitched and attention-drawing. Gray winced, as did Claire.

Gray looked over at Claire, "You wanna draw all the monsters out toward us?"

"Hush," Claire said, frowning. "Nothing's gonna get us."

"Somehow I find that to be wrong," Gray muttered, pulling Bear inside as she followed Claire. The rotting wood creaked unpleasantly beneath their feet, causing Bear to whine and Gray's heart to race. She could smell something... familiar, something unpleasant and cruel. Gray held tightly to the leash with one hand, rubbing her arm with her free hand at the same time. She wanted to be home with the Samuels, with them alive, just watching old TV programs as Hattie and Ed exchanged stories of long ago, petting Bear's head, not having to worry about the position of the moon or anything else. Gray nearly walked straight off a drop off, but Claire grabbed her arm and held her back.

"Dude, chill," Claire said. "You almost fell down the stairs."

"Stairs?" Gray paused, tilting her head as she began to listen. She could hear someone breathing, someone crying. "There's someone down there."

"Let's go, then," Claire said, beginning to creep her way down the old rickety stairs.

"Claire," Gray whined. "We shouldn't. We should go, c'mon.."

"No! If Jody's down there, then we gotta get her." Claire insisted. "Don't be a baby." Gray frowned, but she followed Claire down the stairs. Bear whined softly, his tail between his legs as he followed his master and Claire into the darkness. Gray squinted, unable to see anything through the thick darkness of wherever they were, and she doubted Claire could see either. As an act of impulse, and maybe a little fear, Gray snatched Claire's hand in her own. "What are you doing?" Claire asked, seeming a bit more skeptical than the couple times before.

"I can't see. You can't see. We should stick together," Gray said. "Probably won't be good if we get separated."

Claire hesitated for a moment, then agreed. "You're right." She muttered, her fingers closing around Gray's. Bear whined uneasily, causing Gray to tighten her grip on the leash until she was practically holding on to Bear's collar. They wandered in the darkness for a while, their eyes adjusting to the light, until Gray was able to make out a familiar shape: a flashlight. She nudged Claire in the side gently, gesturing toward it. Claire picked it up in her free hand, turning on the light. Gray squinted, looking around, and found a small cobweb filled doorway.

"That way, I think." Gray murmured, pulling Claire toward it. She could hear the noises she had heard prior to coming down the stairs coming from the room, and it made her uneasy. "They're in there."

"'They'?" Claire asked, frowning.

"I.. I can hear their heartbeats. There's two people. One's crying, the other.."

"The other?"

"The other is alive, but just barely." Gray murmured. Claire kept a hold on Gray's hand as she led her toward the door. Gray could hear Claire's heart pounding in her chest, and Gray could feel her own heart pounding against her ribs. They entered a small, concrete walled room which stank of blood and rot.

"Over here!" Claire whispered, bending over. She let go of Gray's hand as Gray turned to see what Claire was looking at. There was a pit in the floor about six feet deep which was covered by a net-like mesh. Gray frowned and went to pull the mesh off of, handing Bear's leash to Claire.

"Gimme the flashlight," Gray said, grabbing it from Claire. She shined the light down into the pit, to find Jody laying still and silent. The crying had come from a girl around Gray's age, maybe a bit younger, who was hugging herself as she rocked back and forth uneasily.

"Alex!" Claire whispered. The girl, Alex, raised her head and looked up at Claire and Gray with bloodshot eyes. One eye, her left eye, looked like blood had pooled into it.

"Please, leave me," Alex whispered. "Please, please.. it got me.."

"What got you?" Claire asked.

"It's gonna come back," Alex whispered. "You gotta go,"

"No way." Gray said, leaping down into the pit. As a werewolf, the jump didn't hurt her. She grabbed Alex, who did struggle at first but eventually gave up, and pulled the girl into her arms.

"Please, it's coming," Alex whispered hurriedly. Gray heaved Alex out of the pit, setting her on the ground before she went back to get Jody, but Claire grabbed her arm.

"Jody's gone, Gray," Claire said. "Can't you see that? There's too much blood." Gray frowned and heaved herself up, turning to look at the scene. She squinted and saw the puncture wounds on Jody's neck and opened her mouth to speak- but was cut off as the sounds of footsteps were heard from upstairs.

"It's here," Alex whispered. "It's gonna get us,"

"No." Gray said. "It won't." She made her way toward a door, squinting. She saw a window nearly three feet above her, large enough for them to crawl out. But what about Bear? No, she would not leave her dog here. She refused. She went back, scooping Alex into her arms. "Claire, c'mere. You'll go first."

"Go first to what?" Claire said as Gray set Alex down. Gray gestured toward the window, making sure Claire had let go of Bear's leash first. The footsteps were growing closer. Gray heaved Claire upward toward the window, wincing as Claire bashed the window open and crawled through. The footsteps paused, causing Gray's heart to race uneasily. Gray heaved Alex up next, grunting as Claire pulled the girl out.

"C'mere, Bear," Gray murmured. Thankfully, her inhuman strength kicked in. She heaved the dog up, listening to Claire grunt as she tried to pull the heavy dog out. Thankfully, Bear fit. "Go to the truck, ask Bear to take you.. he'll understand."

"What about you?!" Claire asked.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Gray said. "I.. I gotta face this."

"Gray!" Claire hissed.

"Go." Gray snapped. She could hear Claire heave Alex upward with a grunt, and mutter something to Bear. They departed, but the footsteps had finally reached Gray. Gray sucked in a deep breath and turned around to see the familiar crazy eyes of her ex-lover.

"Ooooh, Nia," Marie purred. "Fancy seeing you,"

"That's not my name anymore." Gray growled. "It changed when I did."

"Oh, I bet." Marie rolled her eyes. "Look at you.. just as cute as the day you left me,"

"You're fucking insane," Gray snarled. "Look at you."

"Aw, you're so hurtful with your words.." Marie began advancing toward Gray. "Fortunately for you, I don't feel like fighting tonight.. but, I am feeling something else.."

"I'm not having sex with you," Gray spat at her.

"Aw, but you had so much fun last time." Marie pretended to pout.

"You raped me!" Gray said, though the memories brought back tears. "You raped me and you turned me into this... this _monster_!"

"Oh, you're so dramatic." Marie rolled her eyes. "You loved it."

"I'm going to kill you," Gray snarled. "I'm going to kill you!" She lunged for Marie, slamming against her. They thrashed on the ground, Gray's nails digging into Marie's skin and vice versa. Their angered, pained screams filled the air. Gray's nails raked across Marie's eyes, causing a shrill scream to escape her lips, but it was enough for Gray to disengage herself from the fight and run. She nearly fell when she reached the stairs, but she didn't let herself. Her legs pumped viciously to keep her away from Marie, her lungs heaving and heart pounding against her ribs as she ran. Where was the truck? Which way had she come from? She didn't want to have to rely on her animalistic instincts to save her, she didn't want to turn to that side of her. If she did.. she didn't want to think about it. She could feel the thickness in her throat form, the tears coming to her eyes, but a familiar scent rose to her nose: the scent of the heavens, and lilacs. Claire came rushing out of the underbrush alone, leading Gray to believe Bear and Alex were in the truck.

"Gray!" Claire said, rushing toward her. Gray's instincts were all jumbled together, she could barely contain herself. Her animal instincts were seeping in, despite Gray not wanting to use them. Claire's smell was overwhelmingly appealing, especially to the young werewolf- who had yet to realize exactly what was occurring in her young, wolfish mind: she was imprinting. The moment Claire was close enough, Gray grabbed Claire by the collar and shoved her lips against the blonde's. "Mmf!" Claire's eyes widened, but she didn't try to break away or anything. She didn't struggle either. Perhaps she was too surprised to try and fight off Gray's confused advances. After a few seconds, Claire even began to kiss back. When reality hit, Claire pushed herself away from Gray- almost as though nothing had happened.

"We gotta get back," Claire said. "I left Bear and Alex in the truck."

"I, uh, yeah," Gray agreed. "Let's go."


	6. Sexxx Dreams

Since Gray was legally an adult, she had been able to get a hotel room just out of Souix Falls. They'd managed to sneak Bear inside, since Gray still wouldn't leave him behind, and had put him in the bathroom for the night. Gray and Claire had just finished catching Alex up on everything she had missed. Gray sat on one of the beds, watching as Claire looked over Alex's wounds. There were no bites on Alex's flesh or skin, but Gray could already smell the changes taking place in Alex's system. Claire wrapped shreds of an old shirt around the gashes on Alex's leg, where Alex claimed Marie had grabbed her.

"The claws," Alex rasped, "were sharp and horrible.. why me? I.. I don't.." Tears formed in her eyes, and it made Gray's heart drop.

"I'm sorry," Gray said softly. "I know how you feel.. but, she didn't bite you. So what did she do?"

Alex froze, wiping away her tears. "She.. she cut herself... and.. and she rubbed the blood in my eye."

"What does that mean?" Claire frowned, tying the makeshift bandage in place.

"It means Alex isn't going to be human much longer," Gray said softly.

"What?!" Alex demanded. "No, no! I am not going to be a freak again,"

"I'm sorry." Gray said softly. "But.. there's nothing we can do. There's no cure for this form of vampirism,"

"Vampirism?!" Alex demanded. She went to get up, her eyes wild, but Claire gently pushed Alex onto her back.

"You need to stay down," Claire said softly.

"No, no!" Alex snapped. "I am _not_ going to be one of them again! I don't wanna be hiding in the dark again,"

"You already are." Gray said softly. "Her blood is already in your system. But.. you're not like the other vampires. It's like how I'm not like other werewolves,"

"You're not a bloodsucker, a leech!" Alex snapped.

"No," Gray agreed softly, "but I'm not human. You won't have to hide in the night anymore."

"What makes you say that?" Alex growled.

"Have you ever heard of the comic series _American Vampire_?" Gray asked. She took Alex's facial expression as a no, and continued. "Well, you see.. the American Vampire relies on the moon to gauge its power, not the sun. So, you'll be able to go outside in the day. I know because.. well.. Marie may be an Ancient, but she did introduce me into a few American Vampires."

"What about the blood thing, huh?" Alex demanded.

"You... you can feed off of me." Gray said after a second. "It won't hurt me, it won't affect me. I'm not human, and I won't be changed."

Alex didn't say anything. She just lay down and rolled over away from Gray and Claire. Claire hesitated, but gently patted Alex's back. "I.. do you wanna talk or anything?" Alex muttered something, to which Claire nodded. "Gray, can you give us a moment?" Gray frowned, but she respected their wishes. She decided to go into the bathroom and check on Bear. Bear immediately got to his feet, whining and licking Gray's hands. She gently patted his head, looking him over for wounds. When she was satisfied the dog was alright, she began petting him and talking softly to him. Gray pulled the dog close, sniffling softly. She missed the Samuels, she even missed her family- who she hadn't seen in a long, long time. Bear whined softly as Gray started sobbing into his fur, holding him close.

"I won't lose you," Gray sobbed into Bear's fur. "I won't, I can't.. I've already lost too much." The dog whined as his tail thumped against the floor, his tongue washing over Gray's arms, causing Gray to realize the extent to her wounds. She broke away from the dog, looking over her arms- which had all but been torn to shreds. She sighed, wondering what she'd need to do to heal the wounds. She patted the dog's head, ruffled his ears, and planted a kiss to his nose before she stood, hearing footsteps come toward the door.

"Gray?" Claire's voice.

"Yeah?" Gray asked.

"Can you c'mere? I'll tend to your cuts," Claire said.

Gray slipped out of the bathroom, making sure Bear wasn't in the way before she shut the door. Claire gently took Gray by the elbow, leading her toward the bed that wasn't taken by Alex's form. Gray wondered if she was asleep, since Alex was still. "What'd you talk about?"

"Girl stuff." Claire said.

"I'm a girl," Gray pointed out.

"... Stuff that stays between Alex and I. We've been through a lot together, her and I." Claire stated, sitting Gray down. She began dabbing peroxide on Gray's skin, causing the werewolf to flinch. "Look, also.. about earlier.. the, uh.. kiss.."

Gray's face reddened. "What of it?"

"It was, uh.. nice." Claire stated. Gray studied Claire's face, which was focused on tending to Gray's wounds. "Why did you kiss me?"

Gray's mind raced back to the forest, and her hands tightened into fists. "I.. look.. I told you that my kind is prone to.. imprinting."

"Yeah?" Claire said, prompting Gray to go on.

Gray sighed and closed her eyes, continuing. "I.. look, I don't know for sure.. but.. I think I might've imprinted."

"On me?" Claire seemed taken aback. "Look, I'm not gay."

"You did kiss me back.. and, well, on you but.."

"But?"

"It feels like something's missing." Gray murmured. "Like.. I need you, but there's someone else who I need too. But.. I don't know,"

"Don't know what?" Claire asked.

Gray shrugged and sighed. "I don't know how the whole werewolf thing works yet. It's.. different. It's like a need a pack, but.. I don't have one. Besides, I.. I don't fit in with other werewolves."

Claire set a hand on Gray's shoulder, frowning. "I'm sorry. I know what it's like to not fit in."

"Maybe that's why I'm drawn to you," Gray said softly. "We're different, you and I. Different from everyone else. Alex is too, isn't she?"

Claire glanced at Alex, offering a smile. "She's younger than me, but Jody took her in before me. We, uh, didn't get off on the right foot, her and I.. but now.."

"Now?"

"We're close," Claire said. "I'll admit, I'm glad to have her." Gray stayed silent for a bit, but soon her eyes met Claire's. The two stayed silent, simply locking eyes, when Claire- it was Claire this time- leaned forward and pressed her lips to the werewolf's. Gray cradled Claire's face, pulling the blonde closer. Claire obliged willingly, pushing Gray onto her back and climbing on top. Claire straddled the raven-haired girl, pressing their lips together again. Gray's hands found their way beneath Claire's faded shirt, resting on Claire's ribs. "This is kinda hot, you know," Claire admitted after a few moments. "Maybe I am a little gay,"

"You could say that again," Gray grinned, causing Claire to laugh softly. "Holy shit, she laughs!"

"Shut up," Claire said, gently smacking Gray's arm. "The making out thing was kinda hot til you started talking,"

"And being loud," Came Alex's voice.

"Woah, you.. you're awake?" Claire asked, frowning. "I.. I thought you were asleep."

"Can't sleep." Alex said, sitting up. "Besides, your making out is weird and it's.."

"It's..?" Claire frowned.

Alex shrugged and glanced at Claire and Gray, then she looked toward Gray. "Do you ever have these.. weird, primal voices in your head? They just showed up in mine, and.. they're hard to ignore."

"What do they want?" Gray inquired.

"It's.. ah.. something kinda embarrassing." Alex admitted.

"Is it lust?" Gray asked. "Like.. it's the lusty feeling." She could feel that familiar pull, but this time it seemed to pull Gray in two directions. That's when Gray understood.

"Gray, you got a weird look on your face." Claire said, frowning.

"It's the pull again," Gray murmured. "The, ah, imprinting pull I guess."

"What does that mean?" Claire and Alex asked at the same time. Gray couldn't exactly find the words for it so she gave Claire a kiss, allowing herself to linger for a few moments, before she got up to pull Alex over. Alex looked rather suspicious, and Gray couldn't blame her- after all, Gray couldn't explain what she was feeling and didn't even know if what she was feeling was real. She pressed her lips to Alex's, who twisted a bit and attempted to get away, but Gray could tell the new primal side of Alex was getting the better of her.

"Look, I don't know what is going on." Gray admitted, separating from Alex. "But hear me out, let's just try this for tonight."

"Try what?" Claire asked, obviously a bit jealous Gray had kissed Alex.

"Sleeping. Just sleeping," Gray murmured. She put herself in the middle, though she didn't have a true reason why, and curled up. She felt Alex curl into her back and Claire curl into her front. Gray had to admit, it was pleasant- nothing she had felt before, either. She had nearly drifted off when she felt lips against her skin and hands edging between her legs. "Huh?" Gray cracked an eye open, curious and confused. Claire's lips were searing kisses against Gray's shoulders and Alex's neck, almost curiously. "What are you-?"

"Shut up," Claire muttered. Alex pressed a kiss to the back of Gray's neck, causing shivers to run up Gray's spine as she felt the tips of fangs press against her back. It was rather seductive, Gray determined, because she could tell Alex was not going to bite her. Gray also determined that it was Alex's hands between her legs, and Claire's hands against her stomach. Gray finally offered a soft moan, moving to kiss the hollow of Claire's throat. After a while, none of them could take the tension anymore- Claire was the one who peeled her shirt off, Alex and Gray following in pursuit. Before long they were bare and sweaty, a mass of kisses and moans. Gray found herself still in the middle, but she didn't mind. Alex was the bottom, pleasantly gracing Claire and Gray with a myriad of kisses and gentle touches. Gray seared her own kisses to Alex's collarbone and neck, letting her touch wander. Claire was, unsurprisingly- Gray determined- the top. Perhaps Gray was not the alpha, persay, but Claire was. She was a bit more forceful than Gray and Alex, emitting soft and seductive growls and snarls as she left the dark marks along Gray and Alex's flesh. It wasn't long before they were all dusted in gentle nips and scratches and dark bruises.

When they'd finally reached their apexes, they settled in a heap on the bed beneath the sheets and blankets, sweaty and tired and spent. Gray lay on her back, an arm around both girls beside her. Maybe she had found her pack after all.


End file.
